


A Walk In The Moonlight

by Inkgeist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 11:40:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1647380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkgeist/pseuds/Inkgeist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus decides a walk would help his insomnia, he ends up with unexpected company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Walk In The Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> My *very* first work of fan fiction was inspired by the Prisoner of Azkaban. It was written after I read Order of the Phoenix, and shortly I started reading slash.
> 
> I'm indebted to goldennotblonde (now curiousqity) and gblvr at Livejournal for beta-ing and holding my hand through this. 
> 
>  
> 
> (This story has been posted in other archives without my authorization but I'm posting it here anyway.)

A sudden warm glow swept over the Potions master as he slept. It intensified, becoming so all-encompassing that it caressed him into consciousness. It hadn't been a nightmare – this was somehow… pleasant. Well, except that he couldn't get back to sleep and in a few short hours he would have to teach all of Lupin’s Defense Against the Dark Arts classes in addition to his own.

  
“Bloody Lupin,” he murmured, but there wasn't any real animosity behind it, and it didn't get him back to sleep. It actually made Severus realize that he was very much awake, not the least bit tired and, much to his chagrin, he wasn't upset about it. He hadn't been upset as much as he should be lately, what with Lupin taking the DADA position from him a second time and uttering that ridiculous comment during the last Order meeting _It's alright Severus I won't bite_.Severus shook his head at the memory, instead of a scathing retort, he'd rolled his eyes and sighed at Lupin's awful cliched humor.

 

As he dressed, he attributed his first waking words to the fact that he’d been getting up early to begin making the irritatingly cheerful Gryffindor’s Wolfsbane. He’d discovered that if the hellebore was prepared in the hours before dawn, the potion would allow the drinker to keep his mind without compromising the wolf instincts that enabled him to defend himself. This included less recuperation time after the drinker transformed back into human form. How long was he going to have to wait until he could find out how well it had worked?

 _As a Gryffindor, he’ll feel indebted to give me every detail, he thought, smugly. If he were a Slytherin I might never find out._ But the smirk faded as he realized that he’d gone through his entire supply of tea and would have to go to the kitchens if he was ever going to get his day started. When had he started drinking so much tea anyway?

Bloody Lupin. A horrible sense of humor, irritating, and obsessed with his tea.

He emerged from the dungeons to the bright glow of the moon in the corridor leading to the kitchens. It was much earlier than he had thought, and he rolled his eyes at the fear that brushed the back of his neck at knowing it was a full moon and Lupin was loose.

 _Potions, unlike charms and spells, never fail – well, not unless Longbottom is brewing them_ , he smirked. _Few can make the Wolfsbane, much less as well as I can, to say nothing of being capable of improving upon it_ , he thought, reassuring himself. With that in mind he arrived at the kitchens, the house elves bowing out of his way as he prepared himself some tea. The elves completely relied on magic and could never seem to get his Oolong right.

Steaming cup and saucer in hand, he started making his way back to the dungeons through the moon-lit corridor when he noticed a shadow quickly vanish. Severus dismissed it with a sip of tea and continued on his way. The shadow caught his eye a second time, but didn't alarm him. Instead he found that he was drawn to it, and without thinking headed toward the arches in the corridor leading to the Forbidden Forest.

“I have my wand,” but it seemed like he needed to hear it to believe it. What he didn't hear was the sound of his cup shattering on the stone floor. The situation was entirely too familiar, but fear of finding himself in the werewolf’s path a third time never overtook him – or it hadn't yet.

Severus found himself resting against one of the arches of the corridor looking out into the forest, with a glowing golden pair of eyes looking back at him. The wolf was sitting on its hind legs directly in front of him but some fifteen yards away outside under a beam of moonlight. Severus was transfixed by the sight. Lupin’s head was slightly tilted to one side, with one ear turned towards Severus and the other turned to listen to things behind him. Severus blinked with the realization that he was getting to witness the success of his potion with his own eyes. He couldn’t tell whether his heartbeat quickened with the thrill of success or the need to escape to the safety of his dungeons; he compromised and slowly started to walk the length of the corridor. He felt the wolf stir behind him and saw the wolf walking with him out the corner of his eye. Severus noticed the wolf stayed fifteen yards to his left. When Severus paused, the wolf paused as well.

In the interest of science, Severus decided to walk backwards a little. To his surprise so did the wolf. Severus knew an actual wolf would have turned to walk or have to settle for retreating slowly, but the werewolf had no trouble following his lead – or looking as amused, just as Remus would if he found himself in the same situation and he was in human form. Severus kept walking the length of the corridor that opened to the grounds, well past the entrance to the dungeons. He noted that the wolf still walked with him – though somewhat closer than the earlier fifteen yards. Severus only became alarmed when he realized that he’d been the one to move closer.

The corridor ended in an exit onto the grounds that led to the Forest. As he walked through the exit, the wolf leaped through and arch parallel to it. It wasn't until he rounded a column and strolled toward a bench that he realized he had significantly closed the distance between himself and the werewolf. Something of his surprise must have shown in his face, because Remus stopped in his tracks, not moving until Severus turned to him and spoke.

“I don’t bite you know.” Severus smirked at the clear look of surprise in the wolf’s eyes, trying to suppress a laugh as he continued forward. There was a small yip behind him.  _A werewolf with a sense of humor, lovely._

 

Remus shook his head and caught up to Severus. When they resumed walking, they were side-by-side and each time Severus chanced a look at Remus, he found Remus looking back. Both were thinking the same thing: Would this be remotely possible if Remus were in human form?

Severus pulled out his wand as a reflex, but didn't aim it at Remus; instead he held it in the direction the wolf was staring. Remus' gaze had been drawn to the horizon. They'd both been so caught up in the moment they were sharing that neither of them had noticed the setting moon.

Severus followed his gaze with horror – they were miles away from Remus’s rooms or the dungeons. His eyes went to Remus’s once more – it almost seemed like Remus had been waiting for his attention, but before Severus could say anything, Remus took off at full speed toward the castle.

Severus took a second out to curse Albus once again for the anti-apparition wards and had no choice but to run after the wolf. He felt guilty for wandering so far so close to moonset and had to make sure Remus would make it back to his rooms to transform – but most importantly that he be okay – _so that I can find out if the potion’s healing properties improved, of course_. An eerie yelp spoke of what could only be the epitome of pain. Severus ran faster, until he had the corridor in sight. Remus had begun to transform long before he ever reached it, but Severus managed to get there in time to wrap him in his outer robe and take him back to his dungeons. Once again in the interest of science, Severus gently laid Remus on his bed to rest. Any and all concerns and attentions were strictly professional. So he didn't notice the tender way that he tucked Remus in, nor was he aware of the soft kiss that he placed on Remus’s forehead as he left for breakfast. He also didn't see the smile on Remus’s face as he closed the door.

By the time breakfast was over and the sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts rolled around, the Potions master was beginning to feel the effects of sleep deprivation – class hadn't even started and even Slytherin was down fifteen points. He hadn't walked three paces into the room and Gryffindor lost another ten for celebrating the other house's loss. But before the Severus could get the first scathing remark of the lesson out, the door opened and Remus’s smile lit up the room.

“Lupin, I take it you’re well after all?” The Potions master’s eyebrow rose with its usual haughtiness to mask a smile of pride in his potion.

“Yes, I feel quite well, thank you, and I'll be able to teach my classes after all,” he said cheerfully.

“Of course.” He crossed the room in a few quick strides to the exit. “It would do you well to actually be on time if you intend to do so in the future,” he said softly as he passed Remus.

“My apologies, Severus,” he smiled. “I ended up taking rather a long walk in the moonlight,” his eyes twinkled with mirth, “and ended up sleeping in.” Caught in the image of Remus strolling in the moonlight, Severus forwent his usual cutting remark and gave the werewolf a stern nod. He’d just have to make sure Remus didn't wander too far next time. His concern was, of course, strictly professional.


End file.
